Apparatus for covering the heels of shoes



W. I. DREY.

APPARATUS FOR COVERING THE HEELS 0F SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I3, I917.

Patented June 1, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

w. J. DREY.

APPARATUS FOR COVERING THE HEELS 0F SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-13. 1917.

1,341,737. Patented June 1, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILFRED J. DRE'Y, 0F OARLISLE, PENN? YLVANIA, assiencn, 3v mnslvnASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, 0E 'PATERSON, NEWJERSEY, A'GORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR COVERING THE HEELS OF Specification of Letterslatent. v

Patented June 1, 1920.

Application filed October 13, 1917. Serial No. 196,368.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that. I, VViLFRnD J. Dnnv, acitizen of the United States, residing at Carlisle, in the county ofCumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer tainImprovements in Apparatus for Covering the Heels of Shoes, of which thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicatinglike parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to apparatus for applying toshoe heels leather orother flexible covering material and especially concerns means forperforming this operation after the heel is in place upon the shoe.

Heretofore shoe heels have been covered satisfactorily only by hand andbefore attachment to the shoes, since manual methods are not applicableto, heels when in place. This makes necessary the use of a one-pieceheel, usually of wood, because pieced heels constructed of lifts canonly be trimmed effectively upon the shoes. These solid heels areexpensive and troublesome to securely and neatly attach, it beingimpossible to practice the well-known system of double nailing or todrive the fastenings from the outside. As covering heels by handrequires considerable skill, it is often difiicuit for shoemanufacturers to keep in their employ the number of capable operatorsnecessary to produce the required supply; For this reason it has beenthe common practice for shoe manufacturers to cut out the heel coveringsfrom suitable; stock at the same time the upper leather is cut and sendthese to manufacturers of heels to do the covering and return thefinished heels for application to the shoes. This leads to obviousinconveniences and loss of time.

An object of this: invention is to provide an apparatus by the use ofwhich an operator having little experience may cover all types of heelssatisfactorily, both with respect to the quality of the work and speedof production. For this purpose my apparatus includes novel means forengaging the coveringor its appendages to apply it to a suitablysupported heel under the control of the operator by a relative movementbe.- tween the covering-engaging means and heel.

Another object of the invention is to furnish means whereby the coveringmay be effectively applied to the ordinary heel of crease between theheel and upper, and my improved apparatus has means to engage this wireand seat it securely within the crease, while other engaging meanscooperate with the covering to complete the operation. Preferably,though not necessarily,

these engaging means are mounted to move together. I

A further object of the invention is to in-' sure the uniformapplication of the covering to the heel without straining the coveringstock, this being accomplished by renderingthe engaging means atopposite Sides of. the heel independently movable, so that the tensionmay be applied as the conditions of the covering and its relation to theheel demand.

One form of apparatus for attaining the above objects and stillotherswill-1 now be described, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which, I

Figure It is a perspective View of the apparatus looking at the forwardportion;

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken from the side; I

Fig. 3 shows in plan the heel covering with its attaching member, asdisclosed in my Patent No. 1,208,760;

Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of a portion of a shoe prepared forthe attachment of the covering in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the entire heel and: adjacentportions of the shoe, with the elements of the machine on ga-ged' in thefirst step of the covering operation; I a

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the next step, and

Fig. 7 is avertical sectional detail show ing the relation of thecovering attaching member to the rand crease. i i

Mounted upon a horizontal table 10 is a base portion 12, here shown asof cylindrical form, upon whichis carried upon suitable ways a turntable 14 which may be so rotated that the elements thereon may bearranged to the best advantage for the operator. Rising from the centerof the turntable is a standard 16 for a work support. In the presentinstance, I have chosen to illustrate this as a j aek 18 which may be ofany desired type to hold a lasted shoe S, this being adapted forcarrying out my preferred method of operation in which the covering isapplied to the heel upon the shoe. Fixed to the top of the turn-tableabout the standard 16 is a supporting frame having a rectangular outerportion 20 and opposite arms 22 by which it is joined to the table. Atopposite sides of the standard, spanning the rectangular portion of theframe, are transverse bars 24, 24. Pivoted at 26 upon the frame aresupporting and actuating members for the covering-engaging andtensioning members to be later described, each of these actuatingmembers consisting of a lever 28 the upper end of which extends by thejack to a point adjacent to the tread portion of the heel of the shoewhich is supported on the jack. To permit the upper extremity of eachlever to be adjusted to the correct relation, it is formed in sectionsof approximately equal length which are pivoted and clamped by a bolt30. Upon each lever adjacent to the heel are located thecovering-engaging members. lVhen this covering C is provided with anattaching wire w, as described in. my previously mentioned patent andparticularly illustrated in Fig. 8 of these drawings, the lower memberconsists of a finger 32 pivoted at 34 on the lever 28 ata point somewhatbelow the heel. seat of the shoe. At the opposite or free end of thefinger is a groove 36, over which the wire 00 may be passed, and uponthe inner side of the finger intermediate the groove 36 and the pivot 34is a pin 38 or other securing means about which the wire may be twistedorby which it may be held to allow tension to be applied to it. Abovethe finger 32 toward the end of the lever 28 is anothercovering-engaging member, here shown as including an arm 40 pivoted uponthe lever at 42 and having at its opposite end aws or othercovering-engaging means 44, these jaws preferably being normally heldopen by a spring 46. To clamp the jaws upon the covering a slide 48surrounds them, which, when drawn back, forces the opposite members intoengagement. The arm 40 extends from the opposite side of the lever fromthe finger 32 and is so curved that it may be moved from the idleposition illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings over the top of the leverto the covering-engaging position shown in Fig. 1.

When located as first described, it leaves the finger 32 freelyaccessible to the operator. When the arm 40 is raised, the finger may beswung from its active position as it appears in Fig. 2 to that of Fig.1, in which it is free from interference with the work or upper-engagingmember.

To enable the members 28 to be simul taneously actuated to apply tensionto both sides of the heel covering, there is mounted upon the bars 24 ofthe frame a slide having longitudinal bars 50, 50 and a forward.connecting bar 52. This slide moves in ways in the bars 24, beingretained in place by cap plates 54. At the end of the slide toward theoperator, the cross bar 52 has an extension 58 to which is pivoted ahand lever 60 fulcrumed by means of a link 62 upon the frame 20. Whenthe slide is moved by the lever 60, pins 63 projecting from the outersides of the bars 50 contact in the forward movement of the slide withthe rear edges of the levers 28, causing them to be swung away from theheel and to apply tension to a heel covering engaged by the members 32and 44. In this adjusted position the slide may be retained by a detent64 upon the lever 60, which detent engages one of a series of teeth 66which I have shown as formed in a bar fixed to the side of the frame 20.

To allow the operator to apply tension se lectively to either side ofthe heel covering, each of the levers 28 has at its outer side a headedprojection (58 which may be engaged by one of a series of upwardly andrearwardly inclined depressions 7 O in a link 72 pivoted at 7 4 upon ahand lever 7 6. Each of these levers 76 is fulcrumed at 78 upon one endof the forward cross bar 24. By causing one or anotherof the depressionsto engage the projection 68 the initial relation of the levers 28 and 76to one another. and to the work may be determined. lVhen these elementsare applying tension, they are retained in their forwardly adjustedpositions by latch levers 8O pivoted upon the sides of I the hand levers76 and having rearwardly extending detent portions 82 for engagementwith the teeth of segments 84. T hese segments or racks may be fixed tothe upper faces of the opposite longitudinally extending bars of theframe 20. It will be seen that at any time in the operation of theappara-' tus, either of the levers may be moved to actuate thecorresponding lever 28 and thus enable the operator to apply greatertension to one side of the heel covering.

In using my improved apparatus, a shoe, as that shown at S, containing alast is mounted upon the jack 18, and the supporting frame turned bymeans of the table 14 into any position convenient for the operator andthere clamped by a screw 86 or the like. This angular adjustment of theapparatus may be made at any time to give the operator easy access tothe work. The outside of the heel is coated with cement and the coveringpiece C, with its attaching wire to already in place thereon, is appliedto the heel with its forward edges at equal distances beyond the heelbreast. The ends of the wire are carried over the grooves 36 and twistedabout the projections 38, the fingers 32 at this time being in theposition illustigted in Fig. 2 and the levers 28 at such points that theends of the fingers are just forward of the breast of the heel. Now withthe wire opposite the rand crease, the slide 50 is drawn forward by thelever 60 until the wire is seated in the crease, this being facilitated,if necessary, by the use of a hand tool. Then the wire may be releasedfrom the projections 38, the fingers 32 swung back to the position ofFig. l and the ends of the wires, after preferably being passed throughslots 8 cut in the edge of the sole at the junction of the shank andheel breast, twisted about tacks t driven into the breast of the heeljust above the shank. The wire being thus secured, the tacks are driveninto the heel and the forward edges of the covering folded over andcemented in place upon the heel breast, the covering at 0 being cut sothat this may be readily and smoothly done. l/Vhen the arms 40 areturned from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1 the jaws l4 arebrought opposite points in proximity to the tread surface of the heeland are then caused to engage the edges of the covering at these points.The operator thereupon gives the slide a further forward movement by thelever 60 to draw the covering in about the lower portion of the heel, atthe same time working over the surface with a rubbing stick to insurefirm contact and to smooth out wrinkles. If this results in an unevenapplication of the covering or if from imperfections in the stock or itscoloring an uneven appearance develops, the operator may fix the slideby the detent 64 and apply tension to one side of the covering byactuating a hand lever 7 6. In this way the covering may be quickly andperfectly applied to the heel. At this stage the jaws 44E are releasedfrom the covering by sliding back the members 48 and the levers 20 maybe swung entirely clear of the work. The outer edge of the covering isthen brought over and cemented upon the tread surface of the heel, towhich, by an operation independent of this apparatus, a toplift isapplied, while the breast of the heel is finished in the usual manner.by carrying the outsole over it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an apparatus for covering heels attached to shoes, a shoe support,means for positively engaging the covering, and a support for theengaging means, one of said supports being movable to apply the coveringto the heel.

2. In an apparatus for covering heels attached to shoes, a shoe support,engaging means for the covering, a support for the engaging means, oneof said supports being movable to apply the covering to the heel, andmeans for securing the support in the position to which it is moved.

3. In an apparatus for covering heels attached to shoes, a jack engagingmeans for drawing the covering into contact with the heel positionedwith its shoe upon the jack, and a movable support for the engagingmeans.

4C. In an apparatus for covering heels attached to shoes, a shoesupport, engaging means for opposite sides of the covering, and asupport for the engaging means, one of said supports being movable todraw the .covering about the heel.

5. In an apparatus for covering heels, a heel support, engaging meansfor opposite sides of the covering, and means constructed and arrangedto move the engaging means independently with respect to the heel.

6. In an apparatus for covering heels, a heel support, engaging meansfor opposite sides of the covering, and means constructed and arrangedto move the engaging means independently with respect to the heel, thepoint of initial engagement between the moving means and the engagingmeans being variable.

7. In an apparatus for covering heels, a heel support, engaging meansfor opposite sides of the covering, means constructed and arranged tomove the engaging means independently with respect .to the heel, andmeans for locking each engaging means in the position to which it ismoved.

8. In an apparatus for covering heels, a heel support, engaging meansfor opposite sides of the covering, and means constructed and arrangedtomove the engaging means simultaneously and independently with respectto the heel.

9. An apparatus for covering heels attached to shoes, comprising a heelsupport and means arranged to cooperate with the inner edges of thecovering adjacent to the breast of a heel. on the heel support forapplying the covering to the heel preparatory to its permanentattachment to that heel.

10. In an apparatus for covering heels, a heel support, andindependently movable means arranged to permit tension to be applied tothe covering at opposite sides .of the heel.

11. In an apparatus forcovering heels, a heel support, and separatemeans arranged respectively for operation near the top and bottom of theheel to permit tension to be applied to the covering near such oppositeextremities.

12. In an apparatus for covering heels, a heel support, and plural meansarranged separately at each side of the heel to permit tension to beapplied to the covering at opposite sides and near opposite extremitiesof said heel.

13. In an apparatus for covering heels, a plurality of tensioningmembers arranged for successive cooperation with the covering materialto draw different portions about the heel.

14. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes, an applying memberarranged to cooperate with the covering at the heel seat end of theheel, and an applying member thereafter cooperating with the covering atthe opposite end of the heel.

15. In an apparatus for covering heels, a plurality of tensioningmembers arranged for successive cooperation with the covering materialat each side of the heel to draw different portions about the heel.

16. In an apparatus for covering heels attached to shoes, a jack for theshoes, and means cooperating with the ack for forcing the coveringmaterial into the space between the heel and the upper.

17. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes, means for forcingthe covering material into the space between the heel and the upper, andmeans operating thereafter for drawing other portions of the coveringmaterial about the heel.

18. In an apparatus for covering heels attached to shoes, a jack for theshoes, and means cooperating with the jack for inserting the edge of thecovering material in the rand crease of a shoe to conceal said edgewithin the crease.

19. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes, movable means fordrawing the covering material into the space between the heel and theupper, and means mounted to move therewith but having independentengagement with the covering for drawing other portions of said coveringmaterial about the heel.

20. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes with a coveringprovided with an attaching member, a shoe support and an engaging memberfor the attaching member,

said engaging member being movable toward and from theshoe support.

21. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes with a coveringprovided with an attaching member, a shoe support, an engaging memberfor the attaching member, and an engaging member for the covering, saidengaging members being movable toward and from the shoe support.

22. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes with a coveringprovided with an attaching member, a shoe support, an engaging memberfor the attaching member, and an engaging member for the covering,

said engaging members being arranged in pairs at opposite sides of theshoe support and being movable toward and from said support.

23. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes with a coveringprovided with an attaching member, a shoe support, an en gaging memberfor the attaching member, an engagingmember for the covering, and anactuating member upon which the engaging members are mounted.

24. In an apparatus for covering the heels of shoes with a coveringprovided with an attaching member, a shoe support, an engaging memberfor the attaching member, an engaging member for the covering, and anactuating member upon which the engaging members are arranged to bemoved into active and inactive positions.

25. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, actuatingmembers movably mounted at opposite sides of the work support, and aplurality of engaging members for the covering carried by each actuatingmember.

26. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, actuatingmembers movably mounted at opposite sides of the work support, memberscarried by the actuating members for positively engaging the covering,and means cooperating with the actuating members for moving themsimultaneously.

27. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, actuatingmembers movably mounted at opposite sides of the work support, engagingmembers for the covering carried by the actuating members, and meanswhereby the actuating members may be moved independently.

28. In an apparatusfor covering heels, a work support, actuating membersmovably mounted at opposite sides of the work support, engaging membersfor the covering carried by the actuating members, means whereby theactuating members may be moved independently, and variable connectionsbetween the moving members and the actuating members.

29. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, actuatingmembers movably mounted at opposite sides of the work support, engagingmembers for the covering carried by the actuating members, means formoving the actuating members simultaneously, and means whereby theactuating members may be moved independently.

30. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, actuatingmembers movably mounted at opposite sides of the work support, andengaging members for the covering pivoted upon the actuating members formovement into and out of cooperation with the work.

31. In an apparatus for covering heels, a

work support, actuating members movably mounted at opposite sides of thework support and including relatively movable sections, and engagingmembers for the covering carried by the actuating members.

32. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, a leverfulcrumed at each side of the work support, an engaging member for thecovering carried by each lever, and a slide arranged to move bothlevers, said levers also being movable independently of the slide.

33. In an apparatus for coverings-heels, a

work support, a lever fulcrumed at each side of the work support, anengaging member for the covering movable by each lever, means forretaining each lever in the position to which it is moved, a slidecooperating with both levers, a lever for moving the slide, and meansfor retaining the slide in the position to which it is moved by thelever.

34. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, a leverfulcrumed adjacent to the work support, a member carried by the leverand arranged to apply tension to the covering by positive engagementtherewith, an operating lever, and a link connecting the operating leverand the lever carrying the engaging member.

35. In an apparatus for covering heels, a work support, a leverfulcrumed at each side of the work support, an engaging member for thecovering carried by each lever, operating levers, and links connectingthe operating levers and the levers carrying the engaging members, saidlinks being provided with means for varying their points of attachmentto the carrying levers.

36. In an apparatus for applying to the heels of shoes a coveringprovided with an attaching member, a shoe support, a lever fulcrumedadjacent thereto, and coveringengaging jaws and anattaching-memberengaging finger carried by the lever.

37. In an apparatus for covering heels, a heel support and coveringapplying means provided with a pair of jaws at each side of the heelsupport and arranged to grip the inner edges of the covering adjacent tothe breast of the heel, said pairs of jaws being independently movableto tension the covering.

In testimony whereof I have signed my I name to this specification.

WILFRED J. DREY.

